New Book Project!

The precious human life

Birth, ageing, sickness and death: They concern every human being. From the moment you are born you start ageing, you can become ill, and even after a long and healthy life no one can escape from the moment of goodbye: death. The phases one goes through during and after birth can bring along a lot of pain and suffering, physically as well as mentally. However, in Buddhism the human (re)birth is considered very auspicious. Because in this precious human life, with a human body and mind, one has the opportunity to develop and to follow a spiritual path.

New book

Our next book is about this subject. We look for experiences and stories that illustrate how NgalSo Buddhism can help dealing with pain and suffering related to birth, sickness, ageing and death.

The Prince leaves the palace

Prince Siddhartha led a bountiful and sheltered life within the walls of the palace. Because at his birth it was already predicted that he would become a Buddha, his father, the king, did everything in his power to prevent him from encountering the suffering of people. In this way he hoped to manage keep his son at home. The prince was overwhelmed with the pleasures of life. Beautiful women, lovely food, music, dance, surrounded by young and healthy people. But Siddhartha realized this would not sustain his happiness. One day he found a way to leave the palace with his horse Kanthaka and the horseman Chandaka.
During these trips he had four encounters that would change his life forever: First he met a sick man, followed by an old man and during the third ride he saw a dead man being carried by his family to the cremation site. Chandaka, his horseman, explained to him that this is what every human being experiences. And Siddhartha saw how much pain and suffering the cycle of birth, ageing, sickness and death brings along.

The four noble truths

After Prince Siddhartha had seen a sick, old and dead man, and after gaining insight into the cycle of samsara (birth, ageing, sickness and death), he met a fourth person. This was a monk. Siddhartha could sense the calm energy of this man and was inspired. He left the palace for good, searching for a method to help people. What he discovered after deep meditation and analysis, is now practiced by many as Buddhism. After his enlightenment, the Buddha started to teach on request. The first discourse was about the Four Noble Truths:
There is suffering. There is a cause of suffering. There is an end of suffering. There is a path leading to the end of suffering

Do you want to share your experience?

For the following book we are looking for personal stories. Have you experienced painful, intense, difficult or problematic events related to e.g. pregnancy, birth, miscarriage, sickness, addiction, depression, violence, abuse, an accident, ageing or death?
In what ways have Lama Gangchen and NgalSo Buddhism helped you to cope or to transform this?

You want to share your story in the next book?
Contact us by email or phone, and give a brief explanation what your story is about. We will arrange an interview. An interview through Skype or Face Time works perfectly.

Telephone Karin: 0031 (0)6 1259 1457
Email: info@yangchenma.nl

News

New project with stories

When Prince Siddhartha left the protective walls of the palace for the first time he was shocked by the pain and suffering that people experience through birth, ageing, sickness and death. He started his quest for a solution. What he then discovered is still, 2500 years later, being practiced as Buddhism. The next book will be about this topic.

How does Buddhism help you?

For this new project we are collecting NgalSo experiences. How has Buddhism helped you? Do you want to share your story?Contact Karin or Irene.